Wedding Day
by Brock's Geodude
Summary: Ash & Misty are engaged. Ash returns from a secret trip with surprise plans for the wedding day. What will Misty think of everything? Now FINISHED! Please read & review!
1. Ash's Secret Plans

This fic takes place several years after the trio's journey ends. Ash and Misty are now engaged, and their wedding date is fast approaching. The first part of this fic contains A LOT of backstory, since the gap between it and the anime we're familiar with is several years, but the second part will have more actual story to it, I promise.  
The Wedding Day  
  
-Disclaimer- I don't own the Pokemon franchise and I never will. You know the rest.  
  
Part 1  
The Cerulean City Airport buzzed with activity as planes and blimps took off and landed, and luggage crews ran around everywhere. Passengers shuffled on and off, and the ones entering the terminal were greeted by family and friends. But the attention of three people in that terminal was focused on a two-tone blue blimp that was just landing. The words "Orange Islands Shuttle" were clearly painted on both sides of the giant airship. The three in the terminal scrutinized the disembarking passengers until they found the two men they were looking for. One, a twenty-year-old with spiky black hair, sported a weathered red and white baseball cap with a Pokemon League logo, a green-and-black jacket over a blue t-shirt, and blue jeans. The other, a gray-haired man in his sixties, wore a white lab coat over a red golf shirt and khakis.  
  
"They're finally back!" redheaded, 20-year-old Misty Waters happily exclaimed as she waited for them in the terminal.   
  
"Yeah, a lot of things have been happening at the preserve since the Professor's been gone. I've got a lot to talk to him about," said Tracey Sketchit, the 26-year-old young man next to her. He wore a green headband--partially to control his wavy hair which he parted in the middle, partially because it had become his trademark--as well as a green t-shirt and knee-length cutoff jeans, which had three Pokeballs clipped to the belt.  
  
"Brock, tell me again why they kept the reason for their trip such a secret," the redhead implored the spiky haired young man with them. "Brock?" 26-year-old Brock Slate, at the reception desk flirting with one of the clerks, suddenly felt a hard pull on his ear, and the distance between him and the beautiful woman he'd been talking to gradually grew longer. "Get your head out of the clouds and come over here!" came a voice from behind him.  
  
Brock snapped out of his trance, and was let go. "What is it, Misty?"  
  
"Why didn't they tell us why they were going to the Orange Islands?" Misty asked again.  
  
"I told you, they had to keep it a secret. Ash is the current League Champion and official Pokemon Master now, he goes on business all the time." Yeah, yeah, Misty had heard that many times before. But the sweatdrop that had formed at the side of Brock's head once again convinced Misty that there was something more to it than that.  
  
Just then, Ash and the other man entered the terminal.  
  
The three friends ran to greet the new arrivals. Ash and Misty shared an embrace, then a kiss. Tracey warmly shook hands with Professor Oak, and then a general round of handshakes and welcomes between the five occurred. Ash's Pikachu hopped down off its trainer's shoulder to greet its good friend, Misty's Togetic, which had evolved about a year earlier.  
  
"So, what happened on the trip? How did things go?" Misty was anxious and curious to know the real reason Ash and Professor Oak had gone to the Orange Islands.  
  
The two men both sweatdropped. "C'mon, Mist, we just got in," Ash complained. "Can't we at least go home and get settled before we talk about the trip?"  
  
"Ok, I guess I can wait. But it's hard having your fiancee gone for three weeks, and not knowing why, just two weeks before your wedding." She took Ash by the hand and led him over to the luggage carousel where Brock and Tracey were helping Professor Oak identify and carry his and Ash's stuff. Misty helped Ash with his luggage, while Brock and Tracey helped Professor Oak with his. Outside the terminal, they hailed two taxis for the trip back to the Cerulean Gym. On the way, Misty thought back on the events which had led up to now.  
  
After Ash had won the Hoenn League and become Pokemon Master at the young age of fifteen, out of elation for his accomplishment, Misty had finally confessed what she had been hiding all that time. Together with Brock, they had been travelling for five years up to that point. Despite their many arguments, she had liked him the whole time. And the more they'd travelled together, the more that like had grown into something more. The weeks after that were quite awkward as the two slowly got used to being a couple. Brock had been quite pleased that it had finally happened, and almost left the group at one point after that because he thought they wanted to be alone, but they insisted he stay travelling with them. He'd been like a big brother to them all these years, and besides, how could they live without his cooking? She had taken over as Gym Leader here in Cerulean City while he was travelling the Hoenn Gyms, but had flown to Hoenn to watch Ash participate in--and eventually win--the championship. Her sisters had won a trip around the world from the Cerulean Supermarket, so while they were gone, Misty was also the Gym's only trainer. She had proven that her skills in battle were greater than those of her sisters, so when they returned, it was agreed that only the trainers who beat Lily, Violet, and Daisy could challenge Misty for the Cascade Badge.   
  
After serving as League Champion and leader of the Elite Four from Indigo Plateau for approximately a year, Ash eventually moved his base of operations from there to Cerulean City so he could be closer to Misty. One of the many things Misty loved about him was that despite all his newfound fame and privileges that went with his new status, he was pretty much the same old Ash. Ash had had no trouble financing his trip to the Orange Islands, for...whatever it was...because one of the perks of being Pokemon Master was that he got free lifetime airfare for him and up to 2 companions wherever he wanted to go, and often took advantage of that for his League-related travels.  
  
While in Hoenn, Ash and Brock had been travelling with another girl named Terra, who had gotten her start as a Pokemon trainer there. She was about four years younger than Ash, and while her main ambition had been to travel, not participate in the League and Gym battles, she had gradually grown interested in training as well, and now had a strong Blaziken, as well as several other Pokemon, to show for it. She was currently travelling through the Johto region, and had been sent an invitation to Ash and Misty's wedding via e-mail.  
  
Ash, Misty, and Brock had certainly had many adventures in their travelling days. They'd been to many places, met lots of different kinds of people and Pokemon. They had also captured many of those Pokemon, some of which had to later be released for various reasons. They had attempted to reclaim some of their old Pokemon a few times, and were successful for the most part. The Pokemon teams of all three of them now consisted of both old and new friends.  
  
Misty was jolted out of her thoughts when the taxi came to a stop in front of the Gym. When Ash attempted to pay the fare, the taxi driver got a good look at him and said, "Wait a minute, aren't you Ash Ketchum?"  
  
Ash had been through this many times before, but still smiled and shrugged. "Yep, that's me."  
  
"It's an honor," the cabbie said, reaching over the seat to shake Ash's hand. "Don't worry about the fare, our company is supposed to give you free transportation too, but it hasn't gone through final approval yet. Here, let me help you with your stuff."  
  
Ash tried to argue, but the cabbie wouldn't hear of it. He helped the group haul their luggage into the Gym. "Again, it's been an honor," he said. Turning to Ash, he added, "If you ever need any more rides, just call Jolteon Taxi. We're in the book."  
  
Ash, Misty, and Brock thanked the cabbie for all his help, then he left.  
  
Tracey, who hadn't been around Ash as much as Misty and Brock, was quite impressed. "Wow, do you always get treated like that?"  
  
"Pretty much," Ash replied. "But I never expect it...I thank everyone for their help, but honestly, I'd just as soon do stuff myself like I used to, you know?"  
  
The group settled in. Tracey and Professor Oak wanted to get back to Pallet Town, but were invited to stay for supper, so they accepted. They sat around the living room, in the area of the Gym that served as the Sensational Sisters' home. A hallway led from that room to a door, which led to the Gym itself. Misty's three older sisters emerged from that door and ran to greet everyone. Handshakes and welcomes were exchanged.  
  
"Sorry we're, like, late guys, but we just, like, finished a Gym battle," Daisy explained.  
  
"Yeah, the trainer insisted on having, like, a 6-on-6, so it totally took a long time," Violet added.  
  
"How did the battle go?" Misty inquired.  
  
Lily went on to explain that each side was down to their last Pokemon, and it was their Dewgong against the trainer's Quagsire. The Quagsire was "like, really tough," as Lily put it, and the battle was intense, but Dewgong finally managed to finish it off with a strong Headbutt attack. The trainer would be coming back in two days for a rematch. Misty was interested to hear that she might have a tough battle coming up.  
  
Misty again asked Ash the reason for his trip to the Orange Islands. Ash grinned. That smile of his still melted her heart. "Nope, that's a secret that you'll find out exactly two weeks from now, no questions asked. I have plans for our special day that I know you are going to love."  
  
Misty's gaze turned to Professor Oak, who sweatdropped. "Don't look at me, this was all Ash's idea. And a very good one at that."  
  
Misty sighed in defeat. "Okay, I guess I'll wait to be surprised then." And with that the four Sensational Sisters moved to the kitchen to prepare supper for the group. Brock volunteered to help, partly to show everyone a new recipe and partly to stay close to Violet. Misty kept an eye on him as they worked, ready to pull him away by the ear if necessary. 


	2. An Amusing Trip, and Revealed Plans

The Wedding Day  
  
-Disclaimer- I don't own the Pokemon franchise and I never will. You know the rest.  
  
Part 2  
  
"The day has finally come." That was Misty's first thought as she awoke that morning. "After all this time, the day is finally here when I will become Mrs. Ash Ketchum." She once again replayed in her mind how Ash had told her that he was taking care of all the wedding plans alone. She was slightly annoyed at him for keeping her in suspense all this time, but in a good way. All at once, she was excited, intrigued, and nervous as to what exactly would happen that day. All she knew was, Ash told her to start the day in the normal way and wearing her regular clothes. She was confused as to why she'd be doing this, especially on her wedding day, but it only increased her curiosity as to Ash's plans.  
  
While Misty got dressed and had breakfast, Ash was having a hurried consultation with Brock, his best man, in the lobby of the Gym.  
  
"Is everything ready?" asked the nervous groom.  
  
His older friend smiled. "Don't worry about it. The girls helped me get your suit and Misty's dress ready, and the airlifting arrangements are made for that and your lunch."  
  
"Great. Is our transportation ready?"  
  
"We're ready whenever you are."  
  
"OK, I'll go see if Misty's ready."  
  
Brock nodded. "I'll wait for you guys outside."  
  
Ash strode quickly to the kitchen. Having already eaten, he'd been up for hours, hoping the extra time to psyche himself up would calm his nervousness. He'd entertained brief worries about whether Misty would like what he had planned, but reassured himself she would. After all, they hadn't been best friends for ten years for nothing, and he had specifically planned the day with her in mind. He stood in the doorway and watched as Misty finished eating, playfully wondering when she was going to notice him.  
  
Misty looked up and gave a start. "Oh, Ash, I didn't know you were there."  
  
Ash grinned. "So, are you ready for the big day?"  
  
"I have never been more ready," the Cerulean Gym Leader replied with a warm smile. "But, aren't we breaking tradition a bit? We're not supposed to see each other today until the wedding."  
  
"Mist, with what I've got planned, tradition would be impossible. Besides, this is our special day, and I really wanted to make it unique and unforgettable."  
  
"Well, let's go already! You've kept me in suspense long enough." The two shared a quick kiss, and walked hand-in-hand to the front door of the Gym.  
  
"The first leg of our trip is going to be taken in style. No cars for me, it's Pokemon all the way," Ash joked as he opened the door for Misty.  
  
When they got outside, Misty had to try hard to stifle a laugh when she saw the Pokemon transportation Ash was referring to. Brock was seated just behind the head of his very clean-looking Onix. He had spent the entire previous day polishing it. However, what struck Misty was that Brock had outfitted the rock snake with the biggest black necktie she'd ever seen. Brock followed Misty's gaze, looked at her, and shrugged. "Onix wanted to look formal for the occasion," he quipped.  
  
Misty laughed as Ash helped her onto Onix's rocky body. "OK Brock, we're ready," Ash called when they were in position.  
  
"All right, then. Onix, do you remember the spot I showed you yesterday?" Onix gave a slight nod, causing Brock to lose his balance and grab the rock snake's long spike to keep from falling off. Brock sweatdropped, then laughed and said, "OK, let's go."  
  
During the ride, Misty's suspense grew more than ever. She hated being left in the dark, but was still extremely excited, wondering what would happen. Ash could hardly keep his eyes off her the whole trip. He was convinced he'd planned the whole day perfectly, but now nervous doubts were starting to creep into his mind. Will she like it? Will she totally get mad and run out on me? Before either of them realized it, they were at their destination, the shore northeast of Cerulean. Ash snapped himself out of his thoughts when he realized Onix had stopped, and helped his fiance down.  
  
"Thanks, Brock," said Ash, turning to look up at his good friend. "You're still meeting us later, right?"  
  
"You can count on it," said Brock with a warm smile, "I'd never miss this wedding." He and Onix then left, leaving Ash and Misty alone on the shore, holding hands.  
  
"I don't get it, Ash. Why did you bring me here?"  
  
Ash grinned. "Getting a little out of patience, are we?"  
  
Misty grinned back. "More like a lot."  
  
"OK, come closer to the water." Ash led her to the point where the waves almost touched their feet. Misty squeezed his hand in anticipation. "You're about to see why I asked you to come in regular clothes instead of a wedding dress. You won't need that just yet." It was a little windy that day, so Ash had zipped up his trademark blue-and-white coat. He now unzipped it to reveal that he had brought his Pokeballs along. Misty was a little confused. Why would Ash need his Pokemon on their wedding day? Ash noticed her expression and smiled. "In case you're wondering, Brock is going to take Pikachu to our rendezvous point. Pikachu already knows what I'm about to do, I explained it last night, so it was willing to go with Brock and give us time alone."  
  
"Aww, that was so sweet," said Misty. "But that still doesn't explain what your other Pokemon are doing here."  
  
"Remember how I wouldn't tell you my reason for going to the Orange Islands with Professor Oak?"  
  
"Of course! I was annoyed with you for not telling me, but you said I'd find out today. Wasn't I patient, not even mentioning it yet?"  
  
Ash looked deep into her eyes. "Yeah, you were. And you're about to meet the reason." He picked a Pokeball from his belt, enlarged it, and released the Pokemon it contained. Misty was shocked to see Lapras materialize.  
  
Misty gasped. "Is this...?"  
  
"Yep, this is the same Lapras we had in the Orange Islands. About a month ago, Professor Oak told me that Professor Ivy had told him of a large Lapras herd that had been spotted around the Islands. That was when I got the idea for today. When we last saw Lapras, it had become the leader of that herd, so I knew it would take some doing to get it to come with me again. So that's why I asked the Professor to come, to help me try to find and communicate with them. Turns out that once we found them, Lapras was only too happy to come back with me again. It loved its herd, but Professor Oak said it seemed to miss being with me more. I knew how much you loved riding on Lapras in the Orange Islands, so what we're going to do is ride Lapras from here down to the Seafoam Islands, stopping halfway down at a secluded island for a picnic. What do you think?"  
  
Misty was in tears, a sight Ash very rarely saw. Ash could tell she was touched. "Oh, Ash..." Misty couldn't find the proper words, but solved her problem by ferociously kissing him.  
  
When she finally let him go, Ash put his hand behind his head and sweatdropped. "Heh heh...I'll take that to mean you like it."  
  
"I love it," Misty agreed, and the look in her eyes told Ash she really meant it. Then she became confused. "But if we're going to have a picnic...where's the picnic lunch? Don't tell me you forgot that, Ash Ketchum!"  
  
Ash shook his head. "Nope, it's all taken care of. Our lunch will be airlifted in by the time we get to that island."  
  
"Airlifted? What do you mean?"  
  
"That's another surprise...you'll find out." 


	3. Lunchtime on the Island

The Wedding Day  
  
-Disclaimer- I don't own the Pokemon franchise and I never will. You know the rest.  
  
Part 3  
  
An hour later, Ash and Misty were riding Lapras, well on their way to the secluded island Ash had talked about. They would get there by approximately 11:00, eat, leave by noon, and arrive in the Seafoam Islands around 3pm, in plenty of time for the ceremony to start at 5:30. Ash had been using the ride to fill Misty in on further details of his trip to the Orange Islands, patiently trying his best to remember each species of Water Pokemon he'd seen there. At one point, when he told her about spotting a mother Tentacruel with her five babies while on the boat looking for Lapras, an excited Misty pressed him for as many details as he could possibly remember. Tentacool and Tentacruel had been two of her favorite Pokemon for years. She now possessed a well-trained Tentacruel, having captured it as a young Tentacool about two years before, and that had only made her even more interested in the jellyfish Pokemon.  
  
Attempting to describe an oddly-colored red Shellder he'd also spotted, Ash suddenly stopped in mid-sentence and pointed. "There it is, Mist, there's the island." He was excited, since his plan was working perfectly so far. He just hoped their lunch would arrive on time. Misty hadn't known about this island before, so as Lapras got closer to shore, she took the time to study it. The island was relatively tiny, roughly the size of the pool back in the Cerulean Gym, but it was beautiful. Her eyes roamed across the small sandy beach that, as far as she could tell, encircled the island. Her vision was blocked from the other side by a small but thick stand of palm trees, their leaves wafting slightly with the warm breeze. There was just enough room on the beach for a full-grown man to lie his head just in front of the palm trees, stretch out towards the water, and have his feet not quite go far enough. Misty knew it was high tide, so the water wouldn't go up any farther than it was now.  
  
After Lapras let them off on shore, Ash thanked it, then produced a clean rag from his pocket. He spread it on the sand, and poured some Pokemon food from his other pocket onto the rag. "Eat up, Lapras, we've still got a bit of a trip to go." The Water/Ice Pokemon smiled and began eating. Ash walked a few feet away to where Misty had sat down in the sand, and the two exchanged a quick kiss. Suddenly, Ash saw a movement from above out of the corner of his eye. He and Misty both looked up to see a familiar Meowth-shaped hot-air balloon slowly descending towards the little beach.  
  
"What? How did they find us here?" Misty groaned. She certainly hadn't expected this. When she looked over to see Ash's reaction, she was shocked to see him grinning up at the balloon. Noticing her expression, Ash opened his mouth to try to explain, but was interrupted by a voice from the balloon.  
  
Jessie's face appeared over the side of the basket. "We've got your lunch, now prepare for trouble!"  
  
James' face popped up next to her. "We packed food for one person, then made it double!"  
  
"To keep our friends from going without food!"  
  
"To help out with the wedding and set the mood!"  
  
"To denounce the evils of hunger and thirst!"  
  
"To make sure you don't eat so much that you'll burst!"  
  
"Jessie!"  
  
"James!"  
  
"Team Rocket prepares and delivers at the speed of light!"  
  
"Surrender now to our expert meals or prepare to fight!"  
  
Meowth and Wobbuffet then popped up at exactly the same time, and simultaneously exclaimed "Meowth, dat's right!" and "Wooo-buffet!"  
  
Misty was by now totally confused. "So, lemme get this straight...these guys have been our enemies for years, trying to steal Pikachu and generally cause trouble, and now all of a sudden they're delivering our lunch on our wedding day?"  
  
Ash grinned. For once, he got to be the one to explain things to a confused Misty, instead of the other way around. "Yep. Do you remember that secret trip I went on about six months ago? The confidential Pokemon League trip that they wouldn't even let me tell YOU about?"  
  
"The one where you were gone for the weekend, then you surprised me by cooking breakfast for me when you got back?"  
  
"Yeah. The reason I went on that little trip was that the Celadon City Police had been investigating a surge in Team Rocket activity there, and had it narrowed down to a certain warehouse. They figured that it was the entry point to this big series of underground rooms and tunnels and stuff that had become Team Rocket's new base. As usual for high-profile stuff like that, they called in the Elite Four to help conduct the raid with their Pokemon. So I had to go too. To make a long story short, during the raid, we arrested these three," he gestured to Jessie, James, and Meowth, who all blushed slightly as they set up the picnic, "and brought them back to Police HQ in Celadon. They pleaded with us for hours not to throw them in jail. It was then that I got an idea. I checked their criminal records, and neither of them had nearly as long of a record as I had thought they did."  
  
"Huh?" Misty was still confused. "But what about all the bad things they did when they were following us in the years we were travelling?"  
  
Ash smiled. "Think carefully about that one. You know how sometimes when they were following us, they'd try to do other stuff on the side, like sell fake badges or steal a bunch of other Pokemon? How much of that did they actually get away with?"  
  
"Not much..." Misty said slowly.  
  
Ash nodded. "Exactly. They had a few attempted Poke-nappings and thefts and stuff like that on their records, but we were able to stop most of their offenses before they'd really successfully gotten away with much. Their record was significant, but relatively short, when compared to some of the higher-up Rockets we captured that day. Their organization is spread out all over Johto, Kanto, and Hoenn though, so even though we had a large arrest count in that raid, we haven't come close to taking down the whole organization. So when I proposed to these guys that they work for us as double agents, they jumped at the chance. You've gotta admit, they have the perfect cover."  
  
Misty giggled. "Yeah, who would guess that Team Rocket's lowest-ranked agents are actually double agents?"  
  
"We heard that!" Jessie exclaimed from behind them.  
  
"Sorry guys, but you've gotta admit, it's the truth," Ash apologized. The three double agents sighed. They were sincere when agreeing to work as double agents, but they knew they had to be careful around Ash. There was no point in arguing with the young man who had the authority to throw them in jail anytime he wanted. They DID still have criminal records, after all, as well as several other offences hanging over their heads with which Ash could charge them should the need arise. Despite that, they were comfortable in the knowledge that the League Champion and leader of the Elite Four now counted them as allies. Now that they no longer feared retribution from any attempt to get out of Team Rocket, since they had protection with the Pokemon League, their lives had become quite a bit more relaxed. Once Ash had learned that Jessie and James had been officially dating for quite some time prior to the raid, he had even allowed them to have a secret wedding in one of the Pokemon League office buildings at the Indigo Plateau. After getting the idea to make the trip to the Seafoam Islands on Lapras, Ash had contacted Jessie and James to arrange for them to deliver a picnic lunch. They jumped at the chance, since as usual they were low on funds. Ash met with them to plan the meal carefully, and paid them well for their work.  
  
Having finished setting up the picnic, the three double agents stepped back to admire their work, and then James went over and tapped Ash on the shoulder. "Dinner is served," quipped the blue-haired Rocket, bowing slightly as if he was a waiter in a fancy restaurant.  
  
The couple both grinned at him, then noticed the picnic. Misty was stunned when she realized just how much trouble Ash had gone to to arrange for a perfect picnic. The blanket--no, tablecloth, Misty realized upon closer inspection--was aqua blue, almost the color of the ocean. A large plate sat in the middle of the tablecloth. A small bowl in the middle of the plate was filled with dip. Cheese, crackers, sliced cucumber, and baby carrots formed circles on the plate around the dip bowl. Another large plate held about a half-dozen sandwiches that had been cut into quarters. A jug of ice-cold lemonade sat between the two plates, with a cool-looking blue plastic glass on each side. A large, new-looking blue blanket had been placed in front of the tablecloth for Ash and Misty to sit on while they ate.  
  
Ash looked up at Jessie, James, and Meowth. "Thanks a lot guys, it's perfect."  
  
"It sure is," Misty nodded her agreement.  
  
The three smiled. "Just remember what to do when you're done," Jessie reminded him as she, James, and Meowth climbed back into their balloon. Ash nodded. It had been agreed that once he and Misty were done eating, they would roll whatever was left up in the blanket, wrap the tablecloth around it, and leave it in the trees while they continued on with Lapras to the Seafoam Islands for the ceremony. The three Rockets would be back to pick the stuff up later.  
  
"Well, let's dig in!" Ash exclaimed as the Meowth balloon lifted into the sky. He knew they were headed to the site of the wedding itself to help with the last-minute preparations. Misty laughed, realizing that the excitement of the day must have really jumpstarted Ash's already sizable appetite. That thought become even more amusing when she glanced at her watch to realize it was still only 11:15.  
  
The couple ate heartily and exchanged laughter as they shared memories of their travelling days. Neither of them could escape the exciting thought, however, that in just a few short hours, they would be man and wife. Both soon found themselves looking forward to the afternoon. 


	4. Finally, the Ceremony

The Wedding Day  
  
-Disclaimer- I don't own the Pokemon franchise and I never will. You know the rest.  
  
A/N - Sandy Island is fictional and is a creation of mine. Also, in part 1, I referred to May as "Terra". At the time I wrote that part, May's dub name wasn't known, and Terra was one of the possible names people were guessing at. I didn't change it because I've posted this story in too many places.  
  
Part 4  
  
Three o'clock found Ash, Misty, and Lapras landing on the beach of one of the Seafoam Islands. Ash had chosen to land in a secluded cove, blocked off from the rest of the island by a thick forest. Two well-maintained paths extended into the forest in opposite directions. Ash and Misty got off Lapras, and Ash thanked it, petted it, and recalled it.  
  
"That way," said Ash, pointing to the left-hand path, "leads to another beach like this one, only bigger. That's where the ceremony and reception will be. But for now, we go this way." He pointed to the right-hand path. "We need to change first."  
  
Misty had never been to this particular island, and was curious as to where Ash was taking her. The path they were walking along was short, and a brief walk later, they emerged into a large clearing. On the other side of it, directly ahead of them, a paved road wound its way through the forest. In front of them was a gravel parking lot for the two medium-sized log cabins that were on each side of them. A smaller log building sat just beyond the cabins. The words "Sandy Island Cabins Office" were painted on a sign next to it.  
  
"What is this place?" asked Misty, quite impressed so far with the island and the "getaway" feel it had.  
  
Ash smirked. "Well, as you can see from the sign, it's called Sandy Island. It's one of the Seafoam Islands."  
  
Misty made a face. "I pieced that together."  
  
Ash chuckled and continued, "I don't know if you noticed the beach back there, but this island is known particularly for the extremely fine sand on its beaches. The government, in cooperation with the Pokemon League, take great pride in keeping this island in particular as unspoiled as possible, so there are restrictions on who gets to come here for a vacation and how many at once. It seemed like a perfect spot for the wedding, so here we are."  
  
"Now you've got me curious, Ash, I wanna go back and see the beach!" Misty felt a little guilty that she hadn't noticed the sand before. She was too caught up with Ash and wondering what he had in store for the wedding. As a Water Pokemon Gym Leader, she took pride in always noticing and admiring things like beautiful beaches.  
  
Ash shook his head. "No." He then winked at her and grinned mischeviously. "We'll have plenty of time for that AFTER the wedding."  
  
"What do you mean?" This was yet another thing for Misty to be curious about.  
  
"You'll find out later. Right now we need to get ready." Ash indicated the four cabins, and explained that the one on their left was hers and her sisters were staying in the one just ahead of that. The one across the parking lot from the Sensational Sisters would house Brock, and the cabin just to Ash's right was his. "For now, anyway," quipped the young Pokemon Master.  
  
"Go on in and get freshened up," said Ash. "You'll find everything you need in there. I have to do the same." With that the two lovers went into their respective cabins.  
  
Misty opened the green wooden door and felt for a light switch, not really knowing what she would find. Locating the switch and turning it on, she saw an immaculately clean interior. It looked pretty much like your average log cabin, but there was something...professional about it. On the wall opposite where she was standing, a TV on a hardwood stand stared back at her. In front of it was an overstuffed green couch. A large green rectangular rug covered most of the floor. To her left was a medium-sized oak table with two carved wooden chairs, and just ahead of that, in the far left corner, was a small kitchen. Opposite the kitchen, to Misty's right, were two doors that led to the bedroom and bathroom. Exploring the bedroom, Misty found a (surprise, surprise) oak dresser opposite a king-sized bed with a green and blue comforter and sheets. Turning to the small walk-in closet in the room, she gasped slightly when she saw her wedding dress on a hanger, and wondered how Ash got it there. She checked her watch and realized that it was now four o'clock. The young Gym Leader hurried across to the bathroom to shower, she could waste no more time.  
  
***  
  
A short distance away, at a beach not far from the one Ash and Misty landed at, and significantly larger, several people buzzed around excitedly, making last-minute checks and making sure everything was in place. Lawn chairs had been arranged in rows on the beach, with an aisle down the middle for the bride and groom to walk through. A podium sat at the end of the aisle for the man who was presiding over the wedding. His back would be to the ocean as he conducted the ceremony. Jessie, James, and Meowth were busily putting the finishing touches on the buffet table for the reception. They'd exchanged their regular Team Rocket uniforms for a very professional-looking suit and dress. Even Meowth sported a black bowtie as he searched in their nearby balloon for the rest of the paper plates.  
  
It wasn't long before everything was done. The audience gradually settled into their seats to await the bride and groom. As had been arranged, Brock and Daisy left the group to alert Ash and Misty respectively that it was time.  
  
***  
  
Soothing classical music played from a large stereo system that was set up near the buffet table as Ash and Misty met at the back of the aisle and linked arms. Misty looked over the scene in front of her, loving every bit of how Ash had set things up. Misty had always had a bit of tomboy in her, so she didn't want a fancy, super-formal wedding dress. Still, Ash looked appreciatively at what she was wearing. Somehow, in the moderately expensive yet simple knee-length aqua blue skirt, matching blazer, and white blouse that she was wearing, she looked more stunning to Ash than in any of the fanciest wedding dresses they'd looked at. Part of that might have had to do with her hair. Ash had always told her she looked beautiful with her hair down, so that's what she had chosen to do. There were a few clips in her hair to keep random strands from blowing around her ears and face, but she looked great. Since Misty wasn't going super-formal, Ash declined the thought of a tuxedo as well. Instead he was wearing a brand new forest green suit over a matching necktie and white dress shirt. He'd even somehow managed to do two things that he never thought were possible: slick back his unruly, spiky hair and find green dress shoes.  
  
The music continued to play as the bride and groom slowly walked up the aisle, arm in arm. The audience, made up of most of the people Ash, Misty, and Brock had met on their travels, watched appreciatively. A few of their more familiar friends, like May, Duplica, Sakura, and Richie, even waved discreetly. Delia Ketchum waited anxiously in the front row, left side, alongside Professors Elm and Westwood. (Ash had suggested inviting Professor Ivy a few weeks previously, but abandoned the idea when Brock, who had overheard, ended up turning blue and curling up in the fetal position under a tree, mumbling something about how people should know by now not to mention her name.)  
  
Presently, when they reached the podium, Misty got her first good look at the man behind it. She had previously been too busy scanning the crowd and acknowledging various people's waves. Now she was pleasantly startled when a familiar gray-haired face looked up from his notes at her. "Professor Oak! I didn't know you could do this!" she whispered.  
  
"It came up in conversation when I was in the Orange Islands with Ash," whispered the professor in response. "I always renew my license, but this is the first time I've had the chance to use it. I was honored when Ash insisted on me marrying you two off." Suddenly realizing that their whispering had attracted the attention of the crowd, he sweatdropped and raised his voice to begin his speech. After talking for a few minutes about how much everyone here loves Ash and Misty, is proud of their accomplishments already at the young age of 20, and is happy about their decision, he said, "Before I go ahead with the vows, Ash has requested something. Brock, Daisy, go ahead."  
  
Brock and Daisy, sitting in the front row on opposite sides, both reached under their respective seats and drew out small bags containing Pokeballs. Brock fished one Pokeball out of his bag and handed it to Daisy, who also gave one to Brock. Daisy then walked the few feet to the shore with it. One by one, she opened each Pokeball and released the Pokemon inside. Misty stared as her Starmie (not her original Starmie, the one that travelled with her as a Staryu), Kingdra, Corsola, Luvdisc, and Politoed, followed by Ash's Lapras, materialized and sat or floated in the water, watching the proceedings.   
  
Brock walked to the area on the left side of the podium, and one by one opened the five Pokeballs that were in his bag. Misty continued staring as first her Togetic, then Ash's Charizard, Meganium, Swellow, and Donphan materialized to watch. Pikachu didn't join them, it had a reserved seat in the front row. Brock then crossed to the other side of the podium, where there was more room, and released his own six Pokemon: Onix, Forretress, Graveler, Marshtomp, Crobat, and Ludicolo.  
  
Ash turned to Misty and smiled. "I thought it would be nice if our Pokemon saw this too. I wanted ALL of them to see it but there just wasn't enough room."  
  
Misty smiled and slowly nodded. "I love you, Ash Ketchum."  
  
Ash laughed quietly. "Hey, wait for the vows." Some of the audience in the first few rows who had heard that laughed too.  
  
As the loving bride and groom repeated their vows, they could think of nothing else but the awesome experiences they'd enjoyed together over the years, the unforgettable friends they'd made, and now their future life together as husband and wife.  
  
Coming to the end of the vows, Professor Oak said, "By the power invested in me through the government of Kanto, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may..." he broke off as the two young lovers in front of him went one step ahead, "...continue kissing the bride."  
  
When the long, sweet kiss finally ended, the professor had Ash and Misty face the crowd. "I hereby present," he announced, "Mr. and Mrs. Ash and Misty Ketchum." The audience applauded heartily, and soon the reception began.  
  
"I can't wait for the food, I'm starving!" Ash joked as the audience filed past the newlyweds to shake hands and offer their congratulations.  
  
Misty rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Some things never change."  
  
---THE END--- 


End file.
